Axe-throwing bar AXE MKE will close up shop on Milwaukee’s East Side as owner Bars & Recreation moves the concept to one of its other locations, in the city’s Walker’s Point neighborhood.

The Milwaukee-based operator of several immersive activity bars in the area announced Monday that AXE MKE will be relocated to the NorthSouth Club, “uniting two of its brands in a larger, more accessible setting.”

Credit: Bars & Recreation Axe throwing at AXE MKE.

AXE MKE opened in 2018 at 1924 E. Kenilworth Place. Its final day of operations at that location is April 26, with the concept reopening inside NorthSouth Club’s 12,000-square-foot space at 230 E. Pittsburgh Ave. on April 30. NorthSouth Club opened in 2019 and features both axe-throwing and floor shuffleboard.

“Guests can expect the same AXE MKE energy and experience, now enhanced by a larger footprint, additional activities, and a more flexible social environment,” Bars & Rec said in the release.

AXE MKE is among Bars & Rec’s original concepts, along with nearby build-your-own mini golf bar Nine Below on East North Avenue. The company was started by Marla Poytinger and David Poytinger in 2012 and has grown from a single paint-and-sip bar in the Historic Third Ward to now seven immersive entertainment concepts across five physical locations. Its newest location, Slingshot Bar, opened in October in downtown West Allis.

“AXE MKE has built something people genuinely connect with,” said David Poytinger. “Moving that brand to Walker’s Point gives it the space to grow while strengthening the overall experience we’re creating across our venues.”

AXE MKE’s exit from the East Side is the latest blow to the East North Avenue dining and nightlife scene, which continues to see a fair amount of turnover in the years following the pandemic. Longtime eatery and market Beans & Barley shut its doors in January after 52 years in business. Triple Taproom closed in August, with plans now for Jalisco’s Cocina y Bar to open in its place. Crossroads Collective food hall closed in May after six years in business, with plans now for Nadi Plates, an Italian food truck and catering business, to take over the space.